Origin

Late Old English (denoting booty or spoils), from Old Norsefang 'capture, grasp'; compare with vang. A sense 'trap, snare' is recorded from the mid 16th century; both this and the original sense survive in Scots. The current sense (also mid 16th century) reflects the same notion of 'something that catches and holds'.

Fang first meant booty or spoils. It comes from Old Norse fang ‘to capture, grasp’. A sense ‘trap, snare’ is recorded from the mid 16th century; both this and the original sense survive in Scots. The current sense ‘large, sharp tooth’ (also mid 16th) reflects the same notion of ‘something that catches and holds’.

Origin

Fang first meant booty or spoils. It comes from Old Norse fang ‘to capture, grasp’. A sense ‘trap, snare’ is recorded from the mid 16th century; both this and the original sense survive in Scots. The current sense ‘large, sharp tooth’ (also mid 16th) reflects the same notion of ‘something that catches and holds’.